From Reality TV to the Australian Stage

In this episode, we sit down with Wesley Senna Cortes, a Brazilian actor and model whose creative life has taken him across continents, across genres, and from screen to stage.

Wesley Senna Cortes is a Brazilian-born actor and model with more than 15 years of experience across Brazil, the U.S., and Australia. Initially breaking into the industry in Australia through The Bachelor, Wesley later shifted his focus to dramatic training, working with leading industry figures including Kim Farrant, Ben Mathews, and Michael Sheasby.

 One of the world’s nicest actors, at 31, he made the bold decision to start his acting career in a completely new country, moving from marketing and a stint on The Bachelor to Australia’s competitive screen and stage landscape.

 Now starring as Christopher in the World Premiere of Gravity at QTOPIA Sydney, Wesley reflects on the immense personal and professional transformation required to shift from being a recognisable reality TV personality to a serious, disciplined actor.

In this conversation, we dive into:

• The leap from reality TV to acting

How the immediacy and constructed nature of reality television gave Wesley an unexpected foundation: understanding narrative, audience connection, and the business mechanics behind “being seen.”

• Starting over at 31 in a foreign country

The psychological, creative, and practical challenges of uprooting your life, entering a new industry with no contacts, and navigating Australian casting culture as an outsider with experience that doesn’t always translate on paper.

• Reframing past experience, not running from it

Why Wesley no longer sees his reality TV background as something to “erase,” but as a toolkit he can draw on: production literacy, brand awareness, personal storytelling, and the discipline of working under pressure.

• The business of show business

What he’s learned about self-positioning, managing expectations, carving out an authentic on-screen identity, and why actors need to think like entrepreneurs rather than waiting for permission.

• What he wants emerging actors to know

Wesley offers thoughtful, practical reflections for anyone considering a career pivot, a late start, or a move to a new creative market.

The Producer and the Publicist is a podcast for emerging filmmakers, screen creatives, and anyone fascinated by the business behind making stories happen.

Each episode, producer Kyle and publicist Louise interview working professionals across Australia’s screen industry—directors, editors, actors, writers, crew, executives—and unpack the real stories of how they broke in, what they’ve learned, and the advice they wish they had starting out.

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